Florida should not divert $200 million in federal funding intended to expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure to experimental flying-car technology.
An updated National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Deployment State Plan reallocates $200 million in federal funds from on-road EV infrastructure to charging equipment for electric vertical take off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Instead of using these funds to expand affordable, accessible EV charging for Floridians, the state is redirecting them toward an emerging technology that is likely to remain out of reach for everyday Floridians.
According to the September 2025 plan, state officials argued that the private market has already done enough to build EV charging stations. Then, without an ounce of irony, declared that the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) “will not waste taxpayer dollars and spend it on everyday passenger vehicles” and instead proposed to take an “innovative and strategic approach to offer the greatest benefits to Floridians by supporting a new emerging mode of transportation.”
But supporting innovation should not mean abandoning Floridians’ existing transportation needs.
Floridians who drive EVs still need more reliable and accessible charging infrastructure, particularly in communities where private investment has fallen short – exactly the type of gap NEVI funding was designed to address. Redirecting those dollars to eVTOL charging risks prioritizing a futuristic form of transportation that few Floridians can afford over infrastructure that can serve everyday people.
Tell FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue: We can support innovation without taking money away from Floridians’ existing transportation. Keep federal NEVI funding focused on EV charging!
